


On The Wing

by IvyEmpress



Category: Guardians of Ga'Hoole - Kathryn Lasky
Genre: Brief mention of Coryn's death, Can I say that about my own story because wow, Canon Compliant, F/M, Falling In Love, First Meetings, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Just acknowledging that it happened, Love Confessions, Mentions of Pure Ones, Oh my god this is just so cute, Reading Together, References to King Arthur, Spending their lives together, nothing graphic i promise
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-04
Updated: 2019-12-04
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:01:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21668647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IvyEmpress/pseuds/IvyEmpress
Summary: When Soren met Pelli, he thought she was the most beautiful owl in the universe, more radiant than the stars themselves. The life they build together, he realizes, is even more so.
Relationships: Pellimore/Soren (Guardians of Ga'hoole)
Kudos: 10





	On The Wing

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! Welcome to the last month of the 2010's! I'd like to apologize for not posting in a little while. This year, and especially last month, I've had to go through some of the most difficult changes in my life. However, I'm very excited for what surprises a new decade will bring, and I have a lot of new story ideas in the works! They're going to take time to finish though, so in the meantime I've decided I'm going to post one of the first fics I've ever written, which holds a very special place in my heart.
> 
> I've always loved the Guardians of Ga'Hoole series, and I've read through all 15 books several times over the years. Soren's journey with his friends, allowing him to become a kind, brave, and imaginative owl that can save the world, has always been very inspiring to me. I was so happy when he finally found his true love, but a little disappointed that Pelli's character and her relationship with Soren didn't have much content in the series. So in 2017, I wrote this fic to fix that, creating my own version of how this couple met and how their relationship developed over time. It's very cute and it means a lot to me, since in a way, it's my own little love letter to this series. I hope everyone who decides to read enjoys it too <3

The shimmering stars of the Great Glaux bathed the forests of the kingdom of Ambala in a luminous visage soon after tween time. Though its scenery did not hold quite the same lush elegance of the nearby kingdom of Silverveil, Ambala was a sight to behold in the season known to the Guardians of Ga’Hoole as the Golden Rain. Yet, on this night, though the moon had newed to full shine, its light paled in comparison to the chaos that raged amongst the treetops.

Roiling waves of every red, orange, and yellow imaginable saturated both earth and sky alike. A forest fire was raging across Ambala. To the untrained mind, these fires caused nothing but rampant destruction to the trees that so many owls made their homes. It was true that fire posed many dangers to those who could not navigate their way around them, such as the renown colliers of the Guardians of Ga’Hoole. The suffocating heat, thick, rising smoke, and blinding light could all cause owls within a fire’s domain to find themselves in perilous danger.

Yet a raging fire was also one of the most beautiful sights an owl could ever encounter, glowing with a spectrum of countless scarlets and golds, swirling in endless patterns and arcing high into the air. One of the greatest dangers of fire was this very beauty, which could enrapture an owl so deeply that they went yeep and fell out of the sky. This was known as fire blinking, and many an innocent owl had perished in this way, consumed by the fire that had mesmerized them so. Fire was, undoubtedly, a force to be reckoned with, one capable of great turmoil and loss for many owls.

However, fire also had its many uses. From fires, coals could be extracted, used for countless purposes such as building fires for warmth, reading light, and cooking. Bonk coals, especially, those rare and high-quality coals so esteemed by the Guardians, could be used by colliers and smiths to craft works of metal of the highest caliber, including weapons, armor, special containers, and even works of art. Even some trees reaped the benefits of fire, with certain species not releasing their seeds until their capsules were exposed to tremendous heat. From the ashes of these forest fires, new life would spring from these seeds, so continuing the cycle of life and death that was the vital center of all the owl world.

It was in these tumultuous flames that the young guardian Soren found life most exhilarating. Nothing in this world was more thrilling than diving into this most dangerous of phenomena and emerging with a glowing coal in your beak, surrounded by the fire’s incomparable roar and scorching heat. This was a skill that required tremendous flight capability, extensive training in weather patterns and the nature of fires, and a lust for adventure beyond your wildest dreams.

Soren loved every second of being a collier. Though he was, as a member of the Band with his three dearest friends, quite skilled in most areas of the Guardians’ expertise, this was the chaw he was born to work with. He became immensely thrilled when he heard that the old captain, his most beloved teacher Ezylryb, had called out for an expedition into this impressive fire that had just been accounted for in Ambala. With the old Whiskered Screech considered practically ancient, Soren was so glad that the ryb still had the spirit to go on at least one more rousing adventure.

“You’re never too old for your greatest thrill, my boy,” Ezylryb had churred to Soren and given his ward a friendly cuff.

Soren’s gizzard shivered in delight as he and the rest of the chaw flew high into the night to the pale amber glow pulsating in the distance in Ambala. The search and rescue chaw had been called to accompany the weather interpretation and colliering chaws, just in case the fire’s dominion spread to a populated area. So far, no alarms had been raised, so the search and rescue chaw, which included Soren’s little sister Eglantine and his best friend Twilight, waited some yards away from the fire’s edges for a signal.

Soren flew reconnaissance for his colliering partner Martin, a tiny Northern Saw-whet, as he began to dive through the flame channels for suitable coals to bring home to the great tree. Nearby, weaving around the deadly pockets of air they had learned to expertly navigate so long ago, flew a Spotted Owl, Otulissa, and a Short-Eared Owl, Ruby, doing the same thing together. Their beloved teacher, Ezylryb, was hovering on the outskirts of the fire, relaying wind patterns to the colliering teams over the tremendous roar of the flames, then returning to a vantage point on the top of a fir tree. A considerable haul of coals was being compiled, particularly by Ruby, easily the most masterful flier of the chaw and perhaps of the entire tree itself. This mission seemed to be going quite smoothly, and Ezylryb seemed pleased with how productive the outing had become, when suddenly a din rose above the already deafening howl of the fire.

Soren was the first to hear the commotion, his unevenly-placed ear slits that Barn Owls held in such high esteem picking up the sound three points from his starboard wing.

“Martin, do you see anything? What is it?” Soren called out to his friend, who had lifted himself into the air, dropping a particularly nice coal called a glowworm, which he was adept at finding. Martin would never give up a glowworm if something serious wasn’t about to happen. The smallest of the colliers flitted his way over to Soren, looking rather panicked.

“It’s an evacuation! I saw at least a score of owls trying to fly over that ridge up there on the northeast. They need help, Soren. We need to report this to Ezylryb immediately.” 

Martin, though a rather plucky little owl, was normally one of the more level-headed of the colliers. Soren quickly realized the gravity of the situation as Martin grew impatient to begin the rescue effort for these owls.

“Of course,” Soren replied without hesitation, his gizzard sinking in fear. How did the fire spread so out of control in such a short time? Glaux, he hoped they weren’t already too late… He and Martin quickly flew to Ezylryb’s vantage point, where they just caught glimpse of a bolt of ruddy feathers. Ruby had flown over in a frenzy to report a similar finding from her section of the fire.

“Ezylryb, there’s too many owls out there and the fire is spreading too fast, the search and rescue chaw will need help getting to them.” Ruby gave her assessment of the situation, offering to fly into the fray herself and guide as many owls to an escape as she could, especially around the deadly pockets of cooler air within a fire’s atmosphere that an unsuspecting owl could easily be sucked into.

In another moment, Otulissa flew in with a tactical report of the weather conditions of the area. Spotted Owls were well known for their particular brand of sensitivity to changes in atmospheric pressure. Wildfires such as this one possessed atmospheric systems all their own, and Otulissa had become invaluable in reading into and understanding the properties of these systems.

“This particular fire is riddled with pressure drops, and already it seems as though owls are beginning to go yeep or become fireblinked. Crowning has begun in the northwestern quadrant and is spreading rapidly towards the south. A small outcrop of trees has begun to crack and fall apart in the section two points westerly of here. I would suggest immediate action to evacuate those already in pursuit of an escape, with a team of rescuers to quickly retrieve those that have already plummeted to the ground.” 

Though Otulissa’s explanation was long-winded as usual, no one could argue with her expert insight on the matter, or with her suggestions concerning the course of action. With sightings of fireblinking, crowning, and trees beginning to fall, the situation was rapidly declining into what could be a major disaster to Ambala and its surrounding forests. Ezylryb’s perpetual squint seemed to intensify at the report, and he himself would not question Otulissa’s judgement, vaulting into the air to relay instructions to his charges.

“Martin, alert the other colliers. All coal retrieving activities are to be abandoned immediately. All owls must report to me to receive their assignment for search and rescue. No time to lose, lads.” He called into the night with a resounding screech, and the owls of the search and rescue chaw immediately lifted their wings in their call to action. They began to rendezvous with the colliering ryb, who quickly gave the other owls their assignments.

“Otulissa, begin evacuating the owls in  that thicket of pines to the northwest. Soren, go to the firs on Otulissa’s starboard side. Hurry!”

“Yes, sir!” Both owls quickly took off to their respective assignments, weaving through the leaping towers of flame.

Soren tried to make himself focus on the task at hand, rather than the escalating fear and worry that sent his gizzard quivering uncontrollably. He had conducted himself in plenty of fires such as this, and performed valiantly in past rescues as well. But, up until this moment, no fire in Soren’s vast experience had ever raged so violently in such a short amount of time. So many innocent lives were at stake if he, the other colliers, and the search and rescue chaw could not perform their duty properly. 

As Soren approached the thicket of firs, his favorite trees, several owls streaked past him, many of them panicking as they frantically escaped the unbridled reach of the fire. He flitted around each tree, guiding as many owls as he could in the direction of safety, and escorting some through the more dangerous wind patterns generated by the fire. A few minutes had passed before most of the owls in the immediate vicinity had been cleared out, with healthy owls congregating amongst the other Guardians and injured owls being placed into vine hammocks for transport. Soren made a banking turn to sweep the area once more for stragglers.

“This way, hurry! And be careful of that tree!” The distinctive raspy call of a female Barn Owl reached Soren’s port ear slit a fraction of a second before it hit the starboard. Only seconds passed before he spotted her, and his gizzard’s incessant quivering stilled completely at the sight.

All of Soren’s fears, unquenchable just seconds before, had vanished like wisps at the mere sight of her. She was a particularly lovely Barn Owl, her feathers a rich tawny hue speckled with dark grey and white at her wings. With the soulful gleam of her black eyes, she appeared to possess a strong and gentle spirit that Soren had never encountered in another owl before.

He could tell just by looking at her that she was not a collier, but she had all the makings of one. She seemed to be doing a decent job of navigating through the pitfalls and turbulences of the fire, though Soren could see she never had any proper training in the subject. That was not surprising to him, considering that the study of colliering was only ever truly conducted at the great tree or in the volcano spires of the Beyond. What was astonishing to him was that this owl was trying to evacuate the throng of other owls around her, risking her own life in the process.

An owl so selfless, and so kind to assist others in this way… Soren was captivated, and the world seemed so much brighter from that moment forward.

Soren was known to possess the power of starsight. To him, the stars appeared as holes in the fabric of his dreams, revealing to him glimpses of the future. Often, he would see other owls in these prophetic dreams and hear their voices, but he never remembered any of these dreams’ details upon waking. It was an extraordinary power that had saved Soren’s life several times before. Now a dream was re-establishing itself in Soren’s gizzard, a dream involving this specific owl. Now he remembered…

She flew courageously through a stunning violet sky, but her spirit had outshone the very stars themselves. This was the owl he had been waiting to see for so long. Soren had to recollect himself, watching her conduct herself in the fire for a few moments, which was odd in the rising smoke. Finally, he worked up the courage to call out to her.

“Are you alright? Everyone else has been evacuated. Come with me, I will take you to safety.” 

“Stay back! I don’t need any help from you, or any of the Pure Ones!”

Soren recoiled, having… not expected that.

“Pure Ones?” He blinked in astonishment, for a split second almost forgetting again that they were literally in the middle of a forest fire. It was not long until he realized that, in present times, his presence as a lone Barn Owl would raise suspicion about the Pure Ones to practically everyone in the Southern Kingdoms. The threat was still pertinent to all the owls who lived there, even after most, if not all, of the Pure Ones’ forces had been scattered in the Battle of the Burning some time before.

“I understand your concern,” Soren emphasized, “but, I’m not a Pure One. I am a Guardian of Ga’Hoole. My name is Soren, and I want to get you out of here.”

“Racdrops!” The female almost yarped on Soren in that instant.

The Guardians of Ga’Hoole were known to possess the world’s greatest force of colliers, those astounding fliers that could catch live coals on the wing and use them to create fires of their own. Some owls belonging to this colliering chaw were renown the world over for their skills that were considered beyond the extraordinary. Among these names was Soren, said to have been an integral force in the Battle of the Burning some time ago, the turning point for the owl kingdoms in which the Pure Ones’ forces were practically decimated.

Despite the Guardians’ victory, however, scattered forces of Pure Ones could most definitely still exist, and even be coalescing under their commander Nyra once again at this very moment in time. If this owl thought for a second that she would not take any necessary precautions, then he was sorely mistaken. And honestly, what were the chances that this owl was indeed the Soren so highly spoken of in Ambala? What gallgrot this owl had if he thought he could pull off such a blatant lie.

“You Pure Ones would make up any excuses to recruit new members. And to use the name of the Guardians as well… That seems low, even for you.”

Soren almost rolled his eyes.  _ This owl is starting to frink me off, _ he thought. He understood her concerns, really, he did. The Pure Ones had caused more heartbreak and disaster to the owl kingdoms than was even fathomable, and Soren had been a first-hand victim of their cruelty when he was no more than a hatchling. But what could he say to make her realize he was sincere?

“Look, I promise, I swear on my gizzard, I am not a Pure One. The Pure Ones are a stain on all that is good and valorous of owlkind. Also, I’m sure you can tell by looking at me, but I am a collier. The Pure Ones do not have colliers of their own. I am a Guardian, and if you don’t come with me now, that fire is going to crown and this tree is going to catch on fire, and you’ll be trapped inside. Now please, fly out of here, for your own sake, fly!”

Soren was quickly growing exasperated. He had never once encountered such resistance from someone he was trying to rescue. By Glaux, did she actually want to perish in a forest fire? How could he convince her that he really wanted to rescue her?

“Forgive me if your word and your gizzard are worth less than pellets to me at the moment. How do I know that you won’t kill me when we’re out of range of the fire?”

She was finding it harder with each passing moment to not consider giving this owl a reprieve from her questioning. She knew that if he really was a Pure One, she could not follow him under any circumstance for the risk of her own safety. Yet, she was compelled by his eloquent voice and the honest gleam of his eyes. If he was being true to his word, then she was being highly disrespectful. She took a moment to scrutinize him further. She had to admit, he did raise many interesting points. The Pure Ones were rumored to not have any among them that could catch coals or start fires, relying on rogue smiths and colliers to provide them with the service.

Suddenly, a new light seeped into Soren’s jet-black eyes. What was the one thing the Pure Ones detested more than anything else? There was only one thing he could think of that perfectly exemplified the valorous qualities of truth and nobility, everything that most owls aspired to achieve and that which the Pure Ones denied with all their being. The legends of Ga’Hoole! The Pure Ones flinched at any mention of the great tree and its heroic order, declaring any knowledge of it absolutely spronk, or forbidden. Meanwhile, to the rest of the owl world, the legends served as great inspiration for those with good and honest gizzards, one of which Soren suspected this owl in front of him had, if she would just take the time to listen.

When Soren and Gylfie were captured as hatchlings and forced to work inside St. Aegolius’ Academy for Orphaned Owls, and later when they returned with the rest of the Chaw of Chaws to infiltrate information from them, only Soren’s telling of the legends of old had kept them from becoming moonblinked and mindless to the world. The legends had emboldened his gizzard and reminded him of the greatest capability of owlkind, being able to rise up against the darkness and perform noble deeds. There was only one solution to this problem he could think of that could clear his name. He fixed his gaze into the equally dark orbs of the stubborn owl and began to recount one of the oldest legends of the owl kingdoms, in a time where countless fires ravaged the earth.

“It was in the time of the endless volcanoes. For years and years, in the land known as Beyond the Beyond, flames scraped the sky, turning clouds the color of glowing embers both day and night. Ash and dust blew across the land. It was said to be a curse from the Great Glaux on high. But there was a blessing hidden in the curse, for this was the time when Grank, the first collier, was hatched. This was the time when a few special owls discovered that fire could be tamed…”

As Soren relayed one of the oldest legends of Ga’Hoole, recognition dawned on the female owl’s face. Her black eyes shone with a new luster, and her gizzard soared in jubilation. These were the legends that almost all owls grew up with, lovingly passed down from parents to their young owlets, keeping alive the rich history of the owl kingdoms and the honorable legacy of the first king of owls, the resplendent Hoole. She knew that no Pure One loyal to their cause would ever acquaint themselves with these noble stories, much less memorize them, and furthermore ever be able to recount them with such passion and reverence. Indeed, this owl was in fact a Guardian, and even more so, the incomparable Soren.

“The Fire Cycle… Appropriate, considering the circumstances.” The female owl churred softly. “That has always been one of my favorites.”

Her gaze had grown wistful, as if she had been fireblinked. But though the fire swept precariously nearby, she was paying neither the flames nor the scorching heat any mind. She was not fireblinked, but more so… Soren-blinked. How could she have ever doubted an owl of such moral integrity, and have spoken to him so rudely?

“Come with me,” Soren breathed, half increasingly exasperated, and half flustered beyond belief. He could feel his gizzard squeezing, the closest thing an owl could do to blushing. W-why was she looking at him like that…? Surely, she didn’t think he was particularly handsome or anything, did she? His talons had tarnished black and grown knotted from years of combing fires. The feathers of his wings and face as well as his beak had been permanently stained with soot.

Despite these blemishes of a life full of adventure, however, Soren was indeed a rather beautiful Barn Owl. If anything, Pelli thought these marks only added to his charm. But all of this was beside the point, especially in this circumstance. Soren had no idea that she was thinking of just what a magnificent owl he was, both inside and out. Finally, she seemed to pull away from her stupor, nodding to him as she rose in flight. Soren helped her weave through the labyrinth of flames, though she did not seem to need too much help in that regard.

Soon, all the owls of the Guardian chaws and all of those that could be rescued from the fire began to make the pilgrimage to the great Ga’Hoole tree. Soren and Pelli had continued to fly together, with Soren regaling her in tales of all that she could learn if she decided to stay. Twilight, Eglantine, and her best friend Primrose, a Pygmy Owl, had come together to form a flight formation called a krokenbot, which could transport injured owls in a vacuum-like channel. All three of them watched in amusement as Soren chatted away with a new Barn Owl, as if they were old friends.

“Soren looks so happy. I think he’s made a friend,” Eglantine chirped, glad to see her brother taking some time to relax after working so hard.

“He might be doing more than that,” Twilight churred, earning a light smack on his shoulder from Primrose’s wing. “What? I’m not saying that’s a bad thing. Soren could use someone to settle down with.”

“Well, whatever they end up doing, I think they’re really cute together,” said Primrose, and she and Eglantine churred together like young owlets often did. Twilight sighed, focusing on flying the krokenbot.

Pelli was fascinated by the prospect of all the great tree had to offer. She, like many owls of the Southern Kingdoms, had been raised on legends of the high order of Guardian owls, and she was mystified that she was even in their presence at all. What astonished her most, however, was just how easy it was to talk to Soren. She realized she owed him quite the apology after her outbursts in the fire.

“Soren, if you may, allow me to say I’m sorry for my behavior before. It was wrong of me to accuse you so suddenly of… well, you know.”

“Apology accepted,” Soren nodded to her, churring softly. “These days, I cannot blame you for reaching that conclusion. I’m just grateful we could fly out of the fire in time. You are quite the strong flier, miss…” Soren faltered, realizing that in all this time speaking with this owl, he had not once asked her name.

She caught onto the confusion quickly. “Pellimore,” she replied. “But, please, call me Pelli. It’s an honor to officially meet you, Soren.” The feathers of her face ruffled slightly, and with her eyes gleaming as they caught a shred of light from the slowly rising sun, Soren’s breath caught at the sight. She was singularly the most beautiful owl he had ever met.

“Pelli…” Her name rolled from Soren’s beak with a soft puff of air, and he relished the sensation. His gizzard squeezed once more. This owl who had illuminated the stars themselves in his dreams finally had a name. He took the liberty to speak it again, this time to honor its acquaintance. “Pelli, the honor is mine.”

Some moon cycles passed, and indeed the two owls had become fast friends. One night, Pelli was spending some time in Soren’s hollow when a question came to mind.

“Soren… I’d like to ask you something.” Pelli blinked at him, tentatively hopping closer to him. She seemed almost sheepish, something Soren had never seen from her. He blinked back, his talon reaching up to fiddle with the feathers on his port wing, which he always did when he was nervous. Was something bothering her? He hoped he would be able to help her properly.

“Yes, Pelli?” Her nervousness was now shot through with excitement, and her gizzard trembled in anticipation. What could she possibly ask of him that she would be so nervous about? By now, she had to know she could talk to him about anything.

“Soren, would you…” Pelli looked up at him, her black eyes glistening despite her hesitation. Glaux, she hoped he would accept her proposal… “Would you… teach me how to read?”

Luckily, Soren had been sitting in his nest, otherwise he would have fallen right off of his perch. All the owls that lived in the great tree learned to read as they conducted their studies but… Pelli wanted to learn, from him…?

“Oh, Pelli, I…” Soren faltered, his gizzard in a downright tizzy. Teach her to read? So many owls were more qualified for that position, he was sure. Though his best friend Gylfie often referred to him as the best storyteller she knew, Soren didn’t want to disappoint Pelli if he could not serve as an adequate teacher. Oh, but how he wanted to have the honor to teach an owl of such intelligence and determination as Pelli. Learning how to read was one of the most valuable and enjoyable experiences of Soren’s life, and he wanted it to be just the same for her. How could he say no?

He gathered the courage to look into her stunning black eyes, seeing her pleading, her excitement at the prospect to learn. Pelli’s gizzard sank as she hoped she was not asking too much of him, resolving herself to accept that he might deny her request. He was busy enough in the weather interpretation and colliering chaws, surely he wouldn’t have the time, or perhaps he would think of the prospect as a burden, or-

“I would love to.” Soren’s words were simple, but they stunned Pelli into silence for a few moments as she was struck completely dumbfounded.

“You… really?” Soren nodded, resisting another chur. Pelli gasped, her gizzard practically soaring out of her body on the spot. He said… he said yes…! He really would! Her best friend would show her how to read! Pelli started hopping in place, then quickly vaulted into the air and performed a small somersault inside the hollow. “Oh, thank you, Soren! I’ll make you proud, I promise!”

“Haha, oh, Pelli, believe me,” Soren stepped closer to her, his voice lowering into something gentle and sweet. “You already have.”

“Ask ev'ry person if he's heard the story; and tell it strong and clear if he has not: that once there was a fleeting wisp of glory called Camelot.”

Pelli’s voice reverberated through Soren’s hollow, having just finished a passage from their new favorite book, the Legend of King Arthur and His Knights. It was from this book that Pelli had received her name, which she had never known until she had begun her reading lessons with Soren.

“That was beautiful, Pelli.”

“Thank you, Soren.” Pelli glanced at the passage she had just read, then back at Soren. He could tell by the twinkle in her eyes what she wanted.

“Pelli, it’s almost tweener. We have to go to the dining hollow,” Soren tried to remind her without churring.

“Oh, Soren, just one more chapter, please?” Once again, she had pulled Soren in completely, and he found it impossible to deny such an adorable and innocent request.  _ Ah, she will be the death of me _ , he thought. _O_ _ r perhaps, I think, I feel much more alive _ .

“Alright, just one more. But only one!”

“No promises!” Pelli churred, reaching over to preen a feather that had fallen out of place on Soren’s head.

Soren found himself losing track of time, spending moon cycle after another with his gizzard in a whirlwind, just as tumultuous as any storm full of baggywrinkles. They would partake in long, carefree flights with each other well into the long summer nights, with nothing to do except revel in each other’s company. Some nights, Soren would roll over and soar through the air with his back to the ground, staring up at the luminous stars. Pelli would watch over him fondly, and they would recite quotes to each other from their most treasured story, that of the old King Arthur and his noble order of the Knights of the Round Table.

“It seems some of the drops sparkle, Pelli. Some of them  _ do _ sparkle!” Soren once quipped to her in one of these flying sessions, pulling his gaze from the twinkling stars to smirk at her. Pelli kept churring about it for the rest of the night, and Soren churred with her. They each lost themselves in their passion for the stories they fell in love with, as well as in the company of the one they cherished so dearly.

“Then rose the king and spake to all the Table Round, and charged them to be ever true and noble knights, to do neither outrage nor murder, nor any unjust violence, and always to flee treason; also by no means ever to be cruel, but give mercy unto him that asked for mercy, upon pain of forfeiting the liberty of his court for evermore.” Soren’s voice had taken on a dreamy quality, utterly enraptured in the oath he read to Pelli.

Pelli had slowly leaned into Soren as he read, her head resting on his shoulder. She always found herself slipping into a comfortable trance whenever they read together. Soren was known as the most compelling storyteller of the Band, and he most assuredly deserved that title. He always told a story with every fiber of his being, devoted to its detail and depth, connecting on a personal level to each word he spoke. When he told a story, he made it come alive in the gizzards of all who listened to him, his fervent passion and dedication to his craft making each tale a masterpiece unto itself.

This had become Pelli’s favorite time of the night, nestled into a hollow with Soren just before the dawn, where pale cream ribbons of sunlight would seep in and light up the fringe of tawny feathers around his face.  _ Times like these _ , Pelli’s mind wandered as Soren finished the chapter,  _ I swear we are in glaumora on earth _ .

“That sounds just like the Guardian’s oath. Don’t you think so, Soren?” He churred, nuzzling the peak of her heart-shaped face with his beak. There was not one thought between them of just how familiar their actions towards each other had become. What they felt for each other had become as natural to them as the moon that rose to blanket the night in pearlescent wonder.

“You’re right, it certainly does. It feels like a beautiful dream, to think that there were always beings who upheld truth and honor.”

“It feels like… the world is a much lovelier place, knowing there will always be someone out there looking after it.”

_ Like you _ , Soren thought, nestling closer beside her.

He remembered each and every night he spent beside Pelli, her kindness, her strength, her beautiful and innocent outlook on the world. He recalled the words of the oath taken by the Knights of the Round Table, as their promise and sentiment rang out wholeheartedly with each word Pelli spoke in her own Guardian oath. Tears welled up in Soren’s eyes as he watched her, dedicating herself with all her being to the cause he himself had joined so long ago.

“I am a Guardian of Ga’Hoole. From this night on I dedicate my life to the protection of owlkind. I shall not swerve in my duty. I shall support my brother and sister Guardians in times of battle and in times of peace. I am the eyes in the night, the silence within the wind. I am the talons through the fire, the shield that guards the innocent. I shall seek to wear no crown, nor win any glory. And all these things I do swear upon my honor as a Guardian of Ga’Hoole until my days on this earth cease to be. This be my vow. This be my life. By Glaux, do I swear.”

After taking her oath, Pelli flew over to Soren, churring excitedly, utterly giddy at the fact that she had come this far. She made it, she actually made it…! Soren churred along with her, raising his wings and flying little circles around her.

“Pelli, I’m so proud of you! Look at you, you’re a full-fledged Guardian!” He landed in front of her, his eyes sparkling in his happiness. Then he seemed to suddenly sober, those eyes lowering as he gazed upon her with all the admiration in the world. “I knew you could do it. I knew it from the start.”

Pelli ruffled her feathers as a warm flutter swept across her whole body. She shook her head and touched her beak to Soren’s. “Thank you, Soren, but I couldn’t have done this without you.”

“Nonsense. You are a Guardian of your own volition. I know you will make strong the weak, mend the broken, vanquish the proud, and make powerless those who abuse the frail. With heart sublime, you’ll take flight…”

She churred once more, adoring whenever he started rambling. Pelli knew just how important the legend of the Guardians was to Soren, as much as it was to her, if not even more so.  _ But now _ , she thought,  _ we can make the legend come alive, together _ .

“Yes, I will take flight. And hopefully, I will always be able to fly at your side.”

Soren nodded, as if this was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Of course, Pelli, there’s no question about that. You and I are Guardians together.”

“Well, yes, that too.” Pelli shook her head again, waiting for Soren to catch on and shooting him a knowing look.

It took a few moments, but soon enough Soren caught the message, freezing in place with his beak hanging open for some time.

“What… W-what do you mean, Pelli…?”

“What I mean is, I love you, Soren.”

Soren absolutely froze, his head slowly rotating almost all the way around as his mind and gizzard tried to make sense of the magnitude of what she just told him.

“Wait, what are you-… You… are you saying… Really…?” So much hope had flooded into Soren’s voice that Pelli almost melted on the spot.

“I speak no words but true ones, Soren.” Oh, she was almost having too much fun at his expense, but she was as sincere in this oath as she was for that of the Guardians. Her love for Soren was as true and unfaltering as the stars that gleamed in the night sky. Both of their gizzards were just about to burst, their happiness so completely overwhelming that for a long while, all Soren could do was wrap a wing around Pelli and desperately try to calm his frantic heart.

He churred, the softest, most innocent sound Pelli had ever heard Soren make, with his head on her shoulder. His sweetest dream had come to fruition, being able to love the owl that breathed life into every night he spent on this earth, and made them beautiful beyond compare. Finally, when the euphoria finally began to let him regain some of his consciousness, he answered her, his voice more captivating and rich with affection than it had ever sounded before.

“And I love you, Pelli. I love you so much. I will fly with you to the ends of the earth, straight to glaumora, my dear.”

Fly together they did, living happily as mates from that day forth. They weathered every storm together as each other’s best friends and dearest loves. Both of them served as incredible influences on the other Guardians of the tree, with Soren becoming the leader of the weather interpretation and colliering chaws and Pelli appropriately becoming the ryb of search and rescue. Pelli also developed her skills as a collier, and she and her dear mate would ride the boisterous rivers of wind in fires much like the one where they met. Their love for each other always burned as brightly as the hottest of these flames.

Over the years, their lives intertwined in phenomenal ways. They raised three bright and beautiful daughters together, who they affectionately called the three B’s: Bash, Blythe, and Bell. When Soren’s nephew, Coryn, the most noble and honorable high king of Ga’Hoole, came to the great tree, Soren and Pelli served him with all their loyalty and love, and Coryn in turn held his heroes to the highest esteem. No tragedy could ever waver their devotion and loyalty to each other, not even when their dear little Bell went missing, kidnapped by one of the haggish owls of the Dragon Court in the Middle Kingdom. Their love was strong enough to persevere throughout the ages, even when they drifted apart across the world.

When their dearest Coryn died, Soren was humbled to receive the highest honor, taking up the mantle as the next high king of all the owl kingdoms. He would never forget how Pelli addressed him as her king, how the honor he felt in that moment did not come from the title, but from her very presence.

“Just your mate, my dear. That is all I need to be in your eyes,” Soren had replied, such a simple sentiment that had meant all the world to Pelli. She was more than honored to have ever spent her life with such an extraordinary owl, and always would be. Then Soren had churred, looking himself over with all his colliering scars and stains. “A grimy old mate at that.”

Pelli shook her head. “Oh, no, as fresh and gleaming as a long night in the time of the White Rain, Soren.” She had meant it, with all her heart and gizzard. Soren had grown older, as did she, as did all owls, but to her, he would always stand the test of time as the beautiful Glaux-sent soul he was.

To Soren, Pelli was the same. For all his life beside her, even in their reign as king and queen of Ga’Hoole, Soren thought of his beloved mate in the words of their favorite stories of old.

“For saving I be joined to her that is the fairest under heaven, I seem as nothing in the mighty world, and cannot will my will, nor work my work wholly, nor make myself in mine own realm victor and lord. But were I joined with her, then might we live together as one life, and reigning with one will in everything have power on this dark land to lighten it, and power on this dead world to make it live.”

**Author's Note:**

> "Color the dusk a deep navy blue, and try to be brave 'cause I'll be right beside you, there's a world so high /  
> Hold out your hands and you can go anywhere, so reach for the stars 'cause I'll be waiting up there /  
> And you can finally fly, 'cause you'll be lighter than air" - "Youtopia" by Armin van Buuren ft. Owl City
> 
> Thank you so much for reading! Kudos and/or comments are always appreciated~ <3 I hope you enjoyed it, please let me know what you think! As you can see, I live for writing the sappiest things imaginable, and there's plenty more to come~
> 
> (And even after all of this... Digger is my favorite)


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